Untitled 

Ion Bitzan made this intriguing assemblage from found materials. The wooden frame supports an array of mostly blue items: rolls of plastic, textile scraps, handwritten texts, and small decorative objects. The ways in which these materials have been altered is key to understanding the work. The plastic bags, for instance, are not just presented as found objects, but have been densely packed and tied. This act of compression and binding suggests a concern with density, texture, and perhaps also with containment. The handwritten elements introduce a sense of personal narrative, obscured yet present. Bitzan's use of humble materials and labor-intensive processes challenges the traditional hierarchy between high art and craft. The work's power lies in its direct engagement with the world of everyday objects, transforming them through simple acts of making. This approach reminds us that artistic expression can be found not only in grand gestures, but also in the careful attention to materials and the processes we use to shape them.